


A dinner invitation

by blackcrystaly



Series: To own a mongoose [1]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cannibalism, Empath!Will, M/M, Possessive Behavior, Possessive Hannibal, Telepath!Hannibal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-24
Updated: 2013-07-10
Packaged: 2017-12-15 23:51:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/855401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackcrystaly/pseuds/blackcrystaly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hannibal has made up his mind: Will Graham will be his.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't watched a lot of Hannibal, so I don't think you would find any spoilers here.  
> The story was betaed by the wonderful Leah_Ester all my thanks to her!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First chapter is betaed!!!  
> Many, many thanks to Leah_Ester who is a miracle worker!!!

Hannibal wasn’t exactly thrilled when Jack Crawford sent William Graham to him for unofficial psychiatric help. Actually, from the moment he heard about it, Lecter began to plan how to make a nutritious meal out of the young special agent he hadn’t even seen yet. He would have to plan it carefully, of course. After all, two FBI agents under the same man’s order who disappear would be too much of a coincidence. And he didn’t want the special agent in charge of the behavioral analysis unit be taken away and put under internal review, he hadn’t finished playing with him yet.

However, all of it changed when he actually met the young, unstable man. The doctor stopped thinking about eating the officer in the literal sense. Instead, he was going to devour the brunette’s soul and reshape him from head to toe.

It had been too long since he had felt such lust for a human being. Even more since he had wanted to take one as his lover and make them his partner in life and crime. Once he made up his mind it was time to plan. He had to make William more dependent on him, almost to the point where he would leave all the other men and women in his life of—what he perceived—was his own volition. To facilitate that process he would have to engrain himself in the special agent’s life carefully and outside the time they both knew the Bureau was paying for.

*****

Hannibal began the process slowly, building a rapport between them. Softly touching and prodding the wonderful mind of the brunette while letting him pick up on his calm, feed on the security he so carefully projected to the beautiful empath. They began to talk about other things than just the cases William had to work on during their unofficial sessions. Nothing on the personal level that actual therapy would require, but enough to make some of Graham’s toughest mental walls crack a little bit letting Lecter know the other a little better. He was, after all, a mostly accomplished and secret telepath.

One day, after a particularly hard case not related to the Chesapeake Ripper, the psychiatrist decided to make his move and invited the still visibly affected man to dinner right after their session was up. Hannibal explained very calmly that he thought Will needed a change of pace, something that would help take his mind out of the killer subspace he tended to fall into every time he used his empathy.

“It may even help keeping the nightmares at bay tonight,” he said with a confident smile, knowing that projecting those positive feelings would help to tip the scales in his favor. Graham didn’t have enough control over his own power to prevent him from taking advantage of those feeling, particularly if—as Hannibal suspected—the man didn’t even know he picked up emotions from the people around him. Moreover, the doctor knew that just the chance of a good night of sleep, one without monsters chasing and taunting him, would be an irresistible lure for the brunette.

“Do you extend such invitations to all of your patients, Doctor Lecter?” William asked, half confused and half curious.

Of course he did, from time to time, with some people that deserved the courtesy to be killed in a different background than the ones he used for the common cattle. But he wasn’t going to tell that to the younger man.

“Of course not, it wouldn’t be ethical,” Hannibal answered with half a smile. “But, I usually invite friends and FBI officers to dine with me.”

The mongoose, as the psychiatrist had called him once, raised an eyebrow, debating internally if asking under which label he was being put was terribly rude. That was one of the things that Hannibal liked about the young man: he was always so eager to please. To be a nice, polite man.

Then, a moment later, something seemed to light William’s eyes when he realized Hannibal had subtly established that he didn’t see the special agent as a patient. It clearly calmed some of the anxiousness inside the brunette.

“O… Okay then,” he acquiesced finally. _Anything to keep the nightmares at bay_ , he lied to himself.

*****

William had heard tales of Lecter’s cooking skills, of how he could turn food into art, but he never thought there would be a day when he would have the chance to actually see it for himself. He wondered briefly if he should offer to come back later, since it was also a well known fact that the man hated to have people in his kitchen while he worked his magic. Maybe he could make a short run to the market and buy a bottle of wine for them to share? Of course, Graham wouldn’t normally spend the kind of money he was sure Hannibal did on alcohol to go with his masterpieces, but it would be the least he could do since he was getting a free meal. While he was lost in his thoughts, the older man appeared right in front of his eyes, effectively bringing him back to the present.

“I hope you haven’t dissociated just from the idea of dining with me,” he spoke softly but his smile got edgy.

“No, no, I didn’t… I know where I am, who I am…” … _this time at least_ , he added to himself. “I just was pondering if you prefer I go out while you cook.” There was no point in trying to hide his thoughts from the man who seemed to read them anyways.

The psychiatrist preferred people didn’t watch his cooking process too closely, especially if they weren’t part of the menu. Still, he had carefully crafted this encounter— _first date_ —outside the boundaries of his office and made most of the preparations beforehand so there was no danger in letting William inside his realm. Actually he was looking forward to seeing the beautiful man at his side while he worked. To watch his eyes following each of his precise movements while making them dinner. Hannibal planned to play a little with his unsuspecting mongoose. Flirt and taunt him with bits of food. Let him pick up on the pleasure he got from cooking.

“I pride myself on being a good host,” Lecter began while pointing at the door and guiding the brunette away from his office and into the living room. “And certainly making you go at this hour would be of the outmost rudeness,” he said while going over to a glass case where he kept drinks. With a swift movement he opened the beautifully crafted panel doors.

“Would you like some whisky?” he asked turning around with a smile.

“No, thank you, I don’t have a really high tolerance of alcohol,” Will confessed, getting a little red in the face.

“There is nothing to feel ashamed of, dear William,” Lecter said to him amicably while deciding that if he ever had a change of heart, certainly the agent’s liver would be a nice thing to take… Actually, he couldn’t think of a body part he wouldn’t love to sink his teeth into. He felt an overwhelming sense of possessiveness at the idea of someone else looking at William’s lifeless body. The older man was careful not to project his emotions, knowing he might scare the little one since he wasn’t ready for the full scale of them just yet.

“Maybe some wine, then?” Hannibal offered softly while picking up a bottle with one hand and moving to take the corkscrew with the other. He served two glasses promptly and gave one to the restless agent. He waited until the younger man took a little sip and made a soft gesture of pleasure to move things along.

“Come, my dear William, let’s make dinner,” Hannibal said while walking to his pride and joy, the beautiful kitchen. He wished the other man could actually share all of the experience that the cooking process entailed. But for now, having him there, making him grow comfortable in his space was more than enough. He was nothing if not an accomplished hunter, and any good hunter knows that patience is central to bring down the best prey.

The brunette smiled shyly and followed the older man with blind confidence. This was going to progress better than he had dared to expect if Graham kept acting so submissively. Maybe he would be able to put his collar on the younger man earlier that he had thought. Lecter had bought the high quality leather piece after his second unofficial session with the mongoose, when he had found out that William needed to have something he could touch that would give him a sense of reality. Once the profiler’s mental walls began to crack and let Hannibal see what he was trying so desperately to contain and hide from the world he had gone and bought a leash. Later on he began to put together a little treasure chest for his beloved. Everything was ready to be used and awaiting its rightful owner.

*****

Cooking was a serious business for Doctor Lecter. William had never quite believed the stories about Lecter’s obsession with making perfect food until he saw the man in action. He found himself completely immersed in the man’s elegant movements. How he cut the meat. The way he mixed ingredients. How he played with fire, adding alcohol to light up a frying pan.

He wondered briefly if the older one would concentrate so hard on everything he did, but as soon as the thought appeared he tried to repress it. This was not the time or the place to think inappropriate things about the man who was about to serve him dinner. Still, his mind refused to let go of the image of long and elegant fingers working a knife with surgical precision.

Suddenly a delicious smell filled Graham’s nose. That and Hannibal’s handsome figure working in the kitchen made him lick his lips unconsciously. His body was reacting more than he dared to acknowledge, arousal was pouring from him in waves. William was suddenly aware of his state and felt a little ashamed of himself. It had been years since he had felt so enthralled by someone else that he had absolutely forgot about his own body. It had been even longer since desire didn’t seem to come from borrowed emotions, from the lust a killer felt or that the victim had experienced before his or her passing.

Trying not to disturb the psychiatrist, the brunette tried to accommodate himself without being too obvious about it. He was not really looking forward to giving an explanation about this sudden burst of sexual desire.

Hannibal felt a lot of pride in the fact that the show he was putting on for the mongoose was having such an impact on the FBI agent... He was more than aware of how much he was affecting the other. The way Will’s pupils had dilated when he picked up his favorite knife and began cutting the soft meat. How his breathing had picked up when he moved the vegetables he was frying. And even the mostly subtle way he tried to cover his hard-on when he thought he wasn’t being watched. Lecter had never had a partner that reacted quite that way to his culinary skills. But truth was, he didn’t usually allow people inside his kitchen. If it wasn’t way too early in the game—and he didn’t respect his kitchen as much as he did—he would certainly take the brunette right there and then, against the counter in a primal, savage way...

The older one was usually a calm cook, taking a lot of time to do every little step and enjoying the peace it brought to him. But right now, having planned everything ahead of time, it was more about making an impression, an elaborated seduction.

For a second Doctor Lecter wondered if Graham would also get this aroused when he saw him hunt and take the meat they were going to consume later on from the still hot body of their chosen victim. He was sure that at some point, the dear sweet killer hidden inside the brunette’s mind would point someone out at him, a victim he particularly craved, and Hannibal was nothing if not a doting lover.

“Would you like to learn how to cook?” he asked off handedly while he cut several types of fresh lettuce to go with the main course. “I could teach you…” he offered gently while putting the chopped vegetables into a bowl.

While his voice didn’t betray an ulterior motive, Hannibal clearly projected his lust to the young man, knowing perfectly well that it was a sure way to get a reaction from him. It would also help him on an unconscious level to felt less anxious about his attraction being one sided.

At the other’s offer, the FBI special agent’s mind conjured very vivid, non-food related images of the psychiatrist doing very dirty things to him. So, in an attempt to clear his throat and answer with something that didn’t sound like a squeak, he took a big gulp of wine, effectively managing to choke on it and make a pathetic show of himself.

 _Way to go, Will_ , he thought with the outmost disgust. What was Hannibal going to think of him now? _Poor little Will who can’t sleep without nightmares. Who’s mind is so fragile he had to see a psychiatrist to deal with his own job. Who can’t even handle a bit of alcohol…_ He kept berating himself, all desire lost at once. He wished he could dissociate on command so he would come back to reality far away from the royal kitchen he was in.

“Easy, dear William,” said the older man, putting a hand on his back and guiding him quietly to the big table. “Please sit down and enjoy the rest of your wine while I set the table.”

The younger man nodded sadly. He felt like he had been kicked out of the palace. Maybe he should have followed his gut instinct and told the man he would return later and save them both the embarrassment.

Hannibal went back into the kitchen and returned with plates and cutlery a moment later.

At last, William decided that this was the time to prove that he was no broken teacup, so he stood up and moved to the psychiatrist. He was an FBI profiler. He fought monsters every day. There was no way he was letting a little embarrassment prevent him from having a great night and enjoying Hannibal’s dinner.

“Please, let me help you with that,” Graham said softly, hoping he didn’t sound as pleading to Hannibal as to his own ears.

The grey-blond smiled kindly and gave the objects over to the special agent.

“Since you asked so politely, but please, take into account that you are here as a guest, there is no need to bother yourself.”

William had been amazed at Lecter’s demeanor before, right at the beginning of their unofficial meetings. Now he was positively enchanted by it. Around the man he always felt safe and calm. Moreover, his mind actually seemed to get quieter when the man was close, as if he could tame it. Maybe, just maybe, that was the reason he didn’t want to disappoint the man in any venue.

Hannibal was certainly delighted at the mongoose springing into action. The way he had choked on the wine and retreated into himself had him worried for a moment. But it was obvious that the man was working hard to prove that he could be stronger than anyone thought. Not that the psychiatrist had any doubt in that regard. He wouldn’t choose a lesser man.

Still, while William remained so emotionally attached to the sheep he would have to tread carefully, slowly. Graham still believed himself to be damaged goods, fighting hard to build back what he was taught to think of as sanity instead of embracing the dual nature of a law abiding citizen and an exceptional killer, much like himself. With his ability to get inside other people’s feeling he would be almost impossible to catch. He could make copycat killing an art form. Moreover, with his empathic powers he would be welcomed everywhere, by everyone in the world. Hannibal was quite excited by the idea of watching the other in action.

“Just a moment, my dear William and dinner will be served,” he said, going back to emerge with two bowls of salad which he put on the table and made the last trip to finally present Graham with the main course.

They sat down and after a brief, meaningless toast, began to eat.

Hannibal couldn’t help but notice the younger one’s eagerness, and didn’t miss his enraptured expression once he tasted the first bite of the carefully prepared feast. Will showed so much promise already. That very first taste of human flesh on his lips would certainly feed some of Lecter’s fantasies for a while.

“This is absolutely wonderful, Hannibal!” The brunette exclaimed, excited. “I mean… Doctor Lecter,” he tried to amend quickly.

“Please, William, you are here neither as a patient nor in any official capacity, Hannibal is more than appropriate,” the man said very softly while cutting another piece of meat.

The younger one smiled while taking another bite.

“Then please, stop calling me William, I prefer Will.”

The blond nodded and took another bite.

“Will it is, then,” Hannibal spoke with a smile on his face. Eventually he would give the other man a nickname of their own, but for now the psychiatrist would have to use the one that the mongoose felt comfortable with. Still, it was a step in the right direction to be on a first name basis with each other.

“You know, I never quite asked, what am I eating?” Graham questioned softly, still eating the delicious meal.

“Veal,” he lied easily. There would come a time when he wouldn’t have to mask the truth from the other man. But it was still too early in the game for that.

The two men went over safe topics like history, politics and art. William—Hannibal knew for a fact—was far from uncultured. But the doctor suspected that he preferred to downplay his knowledge in an effort to fit among the sheep, something he probably learned long before joining the FBI. Once they got together he would make the brunette stop with that nonsense. He should be proud of his unique mind in all aspects, proud of being a wolf, not pretending to belong in a pen.

They flirted easily, bantering with each other, and sharing little seductive smiles. The younger one was once again showing tell tale signs of arousal and Lecter wondered if maybe he should simply move his plans forward. Still, he knew better than to rush things, even if they were looking more and more promising by the minute.

“Everything is delicious,” the brunette complimented while taking the last few bites of his second plate.

“Thank you, Will. Maybe now I can convince you to join me for dinner again?” Hannibal's voice is deceptively soft, and it makes the younger man look at him with a shy smile on his face.

“If you always cook like this you’ll have me here every time you call,” the profiler answered with a soft smile and immediately after he uttered the words he bit his lower lip.

Will knew he was being oddly outspoken. Not only that, but his body was being a traitor, getting aroused and broadcasting it to the world and, worst yet, to Hannibal.

He wondered if maybe the wine was stronger than he thought or the good doctor had slipped something into the glass of wine he had been served earlier. But he knew that wasn’t the case at all. There was of course another thing closer to the truth to consider, being an empath he _was_ influenced by people’s moods around him. So there was the distinct possibility that he was being fueled by emotions he was picking up. But the only person in the room with him was Lecter himself...

Was the psychiatrist lusting after him? William wondered, while the old familiar demons began to bite down on his metaphorical flesh. Why would he? Hannibal was world renown, rich, handsome while he was… well, none of those things. Oh, he knew that some people had found him attractive but he was nowhere near the blond’s league. Moreover, it was impossible for Hannibal to not see what was going on. But since he didn’t say a word, didn’t it mean he didn’t want anything to do with the likes of William Graham?

“What’s wrong, Will? You are looking quite distracted. Maybe I should serve dessert now, I’m sure it’ll help bring you back,” Doctor Lecter offered with a smile, standing up from his seat.

“I’m sorry to be such poor company…” the special agent almost whispered looking down, all desire suddenly gone from his mind and body.

The older man kept a soft expression on his angular face. The brunette looked so amazingly submissive right now. He wanted nothing more than to move over to him, take him by the nape and kiss him wildly. Bite down on his lips, maybe make him bleed a little and feed from it like a vampire. He wanted to pull Will’s head back; entangling his fingers in the unruly hair and watch his eyes go black with desire. His pretty mongoose had a masochistic streak that he planned to feed every chance he got.

“Ha… Hannibal?” he heard William calling him with uncertainty in his voice; he was watching him intensely and was pretty confused. It was obvious that he had picked up on some of his darker desires and was far from being scared or repulsed by them, which was a pleasant surprise for the doctor. Maybe the younger one wasn’t so deeply in denial about his hidden core as the doctor had feared. Still, he could tell that the FBI agent already doubted himself, wondering if he was actually reading the psychiatrist’s emotions or making it all up, maybe mistaking the influence of some low life he had chased and helped to put behind bars for his own arousal.

Well, Doctor Lecter decided, maybe he would have to show a little of his hand to put the other one at ease, at least about the sexual energy between them.

“Yes, my dear Will?” he spoke softly, in a low voice that would certainly call for the other to fix his gaze on him.

The brunette raised his eyes and licked his lips once more. Maybe he had not read the situation wrongly; maybe his arousal was caused in response to Hannibal’s emotions towards him. But he needed to know for sure. Yet, William didn’t know how to break the subject without exposing himself to ridiculed or worse. What if Hannibal took offence at his idea that he was picking up on the man’s desire? What if he didn’t know what he was projecting? It wouldn’t be the first time that he told the right thing to the wrong person and he lost someone he cared about in the process… Sometimes it had gone even worse for him.

What if Lecter went to Jack and told him that since he made what could be constructed as a sexual advance towards the doctor he wouldn’t be able to unofficially help him anymore?

William had never before found himself so conscious of how others—how living people—influenced his own reactions and moods. Some days he had suspicions about it, but it wasn’t until this night, with this attractive man that he found himself unable to deny it. That’s how Jack convinced him so easily. He simply let the man’s self-righteousness wash over his own feelings, let it take control and override his self-preservation, his need to stay at home and put everything behind him. That’s why he knew he would never get a chance with Alana, because she projected kind, soft emotions to him, not love or physical desire but sympathy. She saw him as a little brother, a friend to be protected, not as a man to share her bed with. Not that any of it prevented him from trying to make a more earthy connection with her, but that was the reason he hadn't been heartbroken over her rejection.

With Hannibal it was a different story. He wouldn’t take kindly to being told off. And that idea startled him. Since when had the doctor become such an important person in his life? They hadn’t known each other for long, quite the contrary, just a couple of months back and this was the very first time they’d seen each other outside work. He certainly shouldn’t be feeling such strong emotions.

“Dessert sounds good… yeah,” William managed to utter at least, kicking himself for his cowardice.

“Of course,” the older one said walking to the kitchen.

 _Poor mongoose, so conflicted_. Hannibal thought, allowing himself a feral smile now that he was inside his kitchen and out of the little one’s gaze. He took out the chocolate mousse already in cold glasses, ready to be served, and, putting his mask back in place, he walked back to the table.

Lecter found the special agent staring intently at the wall right at his back. For a moment the psychiatrist wondered if Will was trying to deal with the stress and anxiety he was feeling by actually trying to dissociate from reality, so he prodded the other’s psyche carefully.

The brunette was scared and half convinced that he was actually going to send him—Hannibal Lecter—running for the hills by being forward and asking about the emotions that got such a sensual response from him. Being an empath wasn’t fun if you only got manipulated, the psychiatrist thought with a smirk. But in Graham’s case at least he knew without a shadow of a doubt that his emotions were his own and not simply an imitation of what others projected. Will didn’t feel the same things that the person doing projecting did, even if he could experience some of it to the point he could feel something akin to physical pain. No, the emotions he picked up on made him react in a certain way all of his own. Take that idiot Crawford for example. If he saw Graham like this he would start projecting worry and anxiousness and only manage to damage the young one further since his mind would try to help him put on a braver front and pretend he was okay to make Jack stop sending such strong emotions to him.

Unlike the FBI head profiler, Hannibal knew exactly how to get the man to snap out of it with a less negative impact.

While he put the cold dessert in front of William he began to speak very slowly, calling the young one back from the turmoil of his mind, telling him where he was, who he was with, explaining to him that the dessert was already served and it would go to waste if he stayed in his headspace for too long. And while he said all of those things to the special agent he let his usual calmness wash over the brunette.

Once he noticed that the dark eyes were focused again, he welcomed the young man back.

“Do you know where you are, William?” he asked professionally.

“I’m in Baltimore, having dinner with Doctor Hannibal Lecter,” the brunette answered almost on autopilot. He turned his wrist to look at his watch. “It’s half past ten p.m.”

“Good,” the older one said with a friendly smile. “Why don’t we finish the mousse now?” he invited. “And later you can tell me what had you so uncomfortable that you felt the only acceptable response was to hide inside that wonderful mind of yours.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's betaed now!!!  
> Leah_Ester is a miracle worker!.
> 
> Flashback are indicated by ////////

Will nodded not really convinced he could or wanted to give a truthful explanation of what had triggered his most recent episode. But he just knew that his chances at avoiding the talk altogether were close to none, especially since he had gone and dissociated right at his unofficial psychiatrist’s table during a friendly dinner. The man wasn’t going to drop the matter any time soon and he didn’t feel the least bit uncomfortable about dealing with the situation as so many others tended to do. Moreover, Hannibal was the one being paid to help him stop using it as a defense mechanism. The thing was it actually bothered him to know that Hannibal was charging the FBI by the hour to work on his case, _on him_. The profiler wondered if the psychiatrist would spend his time dealing with him if that wasn’t the case. Still, Lecter certainly didn’t have to make such a luxurious dinner for him, that was not how a professional therapist dealt with his patients. So maybe William was not only a pay-check for the renowned man.

The special agent decided that going back and forth about Hannibal's feelings or lack of them wasn’t going to help him come up with something akin to an acceptable answer for the blonds’ earlier inquisition. So, he chose instead to take the little spoon at the side of the dessert's glass and eat the delicious mousse while trying to come up with something.

*****

Hannibal could tell how uncomfortable Graham was, and his sadistic heart couldn’t help but feel a little satisfied. The brunette was quietly eating away at the soft mixture, letting it pass his lips in an unconsciously seductive way, a defensive strategy to try and distract him from the discussion the younger one obviously wanted to avoid. Lecter could tell that the man wasn’t even aware of the signals he was giving off. The psychiatrist read in his mind—between the cracks of his deeply engrained, defensive shields—the man’s anxiety and fear about Hannibal’s reaction to his sudden arousal. All of it fueled by useless self doubt and the poor self image he had built thanks to his difficult life thus far. The blond decided that he would have to work on both things once the young man was completely his… Maybe they could pay a visit to some of his former classmates, associates, and tormentors.

“We could also talk right here and now…” The blond offered with a smirk after several moments of quietly enjoying the mousse he had made for them. Hannibal knew, even before the other made a gesture, that he would refuse. But hearing the therapist's voice would help him to stay focused on the present.

The mongoose shook his head, while keeping his eyes fixed on the mousse. He didn’t want to explain things at all but, his psyche projected clearly, if he was being forced to at least he wanted to finish the perfect food first.

William never realized he liked dinning quite that much. Maybe he was channeling the other’s emotions more than he thought? It was obvious to anyone who got close to Hannibal that he had the utmost appreciation for the culinary arts and that he loved to eat. So, maybe he had attuned himself with that aspect of his host’s personality?

Lecter smiled to himself, perfectly aware of the path that William's thoughts were taking, since he was doing quite a lot to influence them. He kept subtly projecting strong positive emotions to the rapidly suspecting special agent. His calm and absolute enjoyment of the well prepared dinner seemed to put Graham at ease, at least for the moment. Things were progressing marvelously for the first night of the rest of their lives, so Hannibal decided to let the other have a little time to sort himself out and to begin accepting the extent of his empathic nature. Still, the psychiatrist kept monitoring the profiler closely just in case he decided to escape into his mind once again.

There was no way William could keep denying the way his powers worked when the evidence was right in front of him, and the blond was counting on that. He certainly didn’t like the idea of having to take a more hands, and mind, on approach to the subject. He would do it, of course, if it was called for, but being a professional who worked with the psyche he was too aware of the risks attached to such an action.

Graham could end up with a dissociative identity disorder, which would certainly put an end to his career with the FBI, something that didn't overly concerned Hannibal. But it could also mean possible institutionalization and therapy away from him, which was something to be avoided at all costs. Not that he would let another psychiatrist poke into the brunette’s mind for long or live for long after no matter how short a time they spent treating the man. He was the only person who had any kind of right to know and explore the other’s psyche. It was obvious that it would be in their best interest to prevent such a bothersome event and Hannibal hoped that Will would come to accept his true nature all on his own with the doctor's aid and guidance.

*****

 _Still, all good things must come to an end_ , William knew as he finished all of his dessert. For a moment he looked at the empty glass as if it would magically refill. The profiler knew that if he asked for a second helping he would get it—no question about that—but it would only be postponing the talk. Instead he took a deep breath and readied himself. _I’m a grown man!_ He reminded himself at last. He dealt with far worse things on a daily basis. Still, those things tended to be tortured dead people and disfigured corpses not very alive, sexually attractive psychiatrist who could make his life terribly difficult if he took offense to being hit on. Moreover, he usually had full FBI backup while on a crime scene, here he was all alone.

And back at the Bureau there were many who weren’t exactly supportive of homosexual officers. So if Hannibal went to Jack with a complaint or even told him off-handedly that his star profiler had gotten aroused while dining with his unofficial psychiatrist he wasn’t quite sure what his boss’s response would be. He knew that Crawford wasn’t a homophobe but it could add some tension to their already complex working relationship. It could even make for a lot of trouble with some fellow agents he occasionally worked with.

“My dear Will, there’s no need to feel such apprehension,” the calm and cool voice cut right through his doubts and took him out of the dark scenarios was coming up with. The man stood up and walked over to where the professor was. “I’m merely worried at what could possibly send you into such a state of distress that you had to dissociate while in my house and after you so successfully closed the Lonely Road Killer case.” He said at last while guiding them to the living room where they would be more comfortable

In William’s experience most people reacted in one of two ways when they had to deal with him while in an altered state of consciousness: they pretend there was nothing wrong and escaped as fast as they could or royally freaked out, which left him feeling twice as bad. None of them inquired into what had caused it, less of all in such a considerate, polite and non-invasive way. Of the people who were close to him, Jack would simply call Doctor Lecter and be done with it; never wanting to know what was on his mind as long as he was useful. Alana would be able to bring him back but she would put entirely too much pressure on him to face his inner demons and that would send him into another kind of mental anguish altogether, so he would be forced to lie until she was satisfied and left him alone to deal with the aftermath on his own.

Hannibal was a completely different story and William was feeling more and more at ease just by the way the psychiatrist spoke to him, coaxed him softly to face the situation. He didn’t make accusations the way other’s had, their words still ingrained in his mind: “ _you’re simply faking it so we don’t have to talk about this or that”; “you’re just using it as an excuse”_ or even “ _of course, how convenient, you’re always going into your mind so you don’t have to hear me”._ Hannibal didn’t take any kind of offense at his episode ( _ **I** made you dissociate, now?!)_ or show any of the usually aggressive or anxious behavior other people did. The man in front of him projected calmness and strength, a confidence that William desperately craved to have. The blond wasn’t approaching the subject like others had years before, and that confused and charmed Graham. Suddenly, he found himself slipping onto a most comfortable sofa while letting his mental shields relax for the very first time since he had been forced to build them to protect himself from the intensity of other’s emotions and feelings. He couldn’t even remember how he had done it, so it was a miracle he could actually let them down.

//////////////////////////////

Will had been forced to go to several psychiatrists and psychologists during most of his childhood and adolescence, since his parents couldn’t really understand what he was or the way his mind worked. And all of them had asked the same questions about what he thought was the trigger of his dissociation (he had learnt that word quite early in his life) episodes, nightmares or sleepwalking. But he could always tell they were asking out of protocol. Truth was he just didn’t know, how was he supposed to explain what he didn't even understand?

Most of the therapists however, didn’t really care about the causes. Several of them just wanted to medicate him or have him committed. Almost every one he had been forced to see made a poorly based diagnosis of parental or sexual abuse, sometimes they even suspected both, and tried to coax him into confessing to an assault that hadn’t taken place. It was all very tiring and usually he would end up having even worse episodes of _the_ _unholy trinity_ —as he used to call them back in the day and still did on occasions—dissociation, nightmares and sleepwalking.

All of his therapists only saw him a couple of times before he was taken to another one, either because he was referenced to someone with “more experience” or because the Grahams couldn’t actually contact the specialist. The almost perpetual change certainly didn’t help to build any kind of trust with the person who was appointed to “treat” him. William asked himself more than once why he was always being taken to a different professional each time, but he knew better than to voice such a question to anyone. His parents were already at their wits end with their unusual son. And even if they tried their hardest to help and understand him it was obvious that they felt more and more relieved the older he got since it quickly approached the time when it wouldn't be their responsibility anymore.

Several years into his adulthood he found an article in a newspaper where he read that Doctor Psier, one of his old therapists, had committed suicide after being in an asylum for the last twelve years. The journalist wrote that there was a letter besides the body where the deceased woman expressed how she couldn’t deal with the emotional pain she felt every day, a pain that had been inflicted on her mind by someone else. Of course, everyone thought it was a particular kind of paranoid delusion that had driven her to take her own life… Will knew better. Yet he refused to acknowledge what had happened. His mind carefully repressed all those years of forced treatment and how it ended each time. He never thought of any of his therapists if he could help it.

/////////////////////////////////////

William closed his eyes for just a moment, basking in the knowledge that right then and there he was in a safe heaven. He couldn’t quite tell how he got that idea, since he had never thought of Hannibal as anything but the therapist he was being sent to by the FBI, just like all the others his parents had made him see before. Still, the feeling remained and got stronger with each passing minute. He wondered briefly if he was being lured into a false sense of security, but why would Hannibal want to trap him?

Eventually, the brunette decided it was time to stop running away and tell the truth to this man who so patiently waited for him to be ready to start talking.

“I think I may be picking up emotions from living people,” the profiler said at last, looking everywhere but at the blond.

“Of course you do, Will, it’s only natural being such a strong empath as you are,” the older man said softly. That… certainly wasn’t an answer Graham had been expecting. No one ever acknowledge his power for what it was. Usually when people talked about his empathy it was as a metaphor. But Hannibal, he could easily tell, was speaking of it exactly as it was.

Now he had effectively managed to get himself into a corner. William knew he had very few options: he could do whatever it was he had done so many years ago to all those disrupting people that had made him feel in danger or wanted to lock him up (which he wasn’t sure he could do that easily since he didn’t remember how he had done it in the past), he could try to talk his way out (which he doubted could work) or he could actually trust Doctor Lecter who had never let him down and had been more than willing to help him with his unholy trinity and made him feel safe effortlessly.

“I have never known for sure… I suspected… for a while,” William tried to explain. It was true, no matter how difficult it was to believe. He had never wanted to be certain because if he did then he would have to face his past and deal with what he had done in order to protect his freedom and himself. If he acknowledged the extent of his powers then he'd stop being just _that weird guy_ and became something else. He would be different, isolated from most of mankind since Graham knew there were very few people who were empaths like him. Empaths, dream walkers (who could get inside the dreams and fantasies of others), and telepaths (who could read and manipulate minds) all had to be very careful to keep their secret, since people tended to reject and destroy what they didn’t understand. Or worse, they want to study it, and the young man feared those scientists who had very little regard for the wellbeing of the subject under scrutiny. William didn’t want to be put in a glass cage, picked at and prodded until he was less than a human and more of a thing… a specimen.

Those thoughts always brought back the scared child inside of him, the one that had used his power to protect himself. He was about to reach inside his very private, very secret panic room and let his self preservation instinct take over when he felt a hand on his shoulder, and he felt suddenly very aware that he was not at risk. A strong sense of calm washed over him. He was being guided back into relaxation, and this time there was no mistake where those emotions were coming from. Hannibal was letting him know he was exerting quite an influence over him. The fact that the man could do such a thing made William wonder _how_ Lecter could do such a thing. But right at that moment, he was in no state to utter the question.

*****

With his years of practice and experience, Hannibal could make deep readings without actually upsetting the person under his mind’s scrutiny and quickly took in everything he managed to collect. And that helped him keep Will unaware of how much of himself he was giving away. Before his mongoose had a full scale panic attack—which would no doubt end in an empathic attack and force him to painfully subdue the man—Lecter had been able to learn several surprising facts about his beautiful profiler. Like how wild and imaginative he could be when he wanted or needed to be. How he could use his powers to destroy a person’s psyche just by projecting undiluted fright and terror, something he had done several times in the past but he didn't like to remember. How much he resented the fact that dear old uncle Jack didn’t seem to give a damn about his wholeness as long as he could catch the killer the FBI was after… But then it was time to calm the brewing storm so he put a hand on the brunette’s shoulder and began to project the kind of emotions that would help subdue Graham’s fear and retract his metaphorical little claws.

Even after the man began to return to a more quiet state, the psychiatrist didn’t make a move to release the other, knowing that it was the easiest way to keep his hold over the empath and to monitor his progress closely. Usually those who dealt with emotions were very touch oriented since it was the easiest way to get a good reading.

This night was going beautifully the therapist decided, even better than he thought it would. The young profiler was slowly falling apart and learning that Hannibal was the one who could help easily put him back together. It was a little sooner than he had expected. But it meant that William was even closer to the breaking point than he had imagined which certainly simplified matters.

After a while the brunette seemed to regain control of himself, the wildness in his mind retreated as he no longer felt threatened by the doctor at his side. Still, the younger man kept quiet, clearly trying to understand what had happened and how things had gotten so out of control so quickly. What he could possibly tell Lecter when he had been so close to unleashing a full scale empathic attack on him? There was no way, after all, that Graham could know Hannibal was more than capable of defending himself, since he had spent several years sharpening his powers, learning to master them. But the doctor certainly wasn’t sharing that vital piece of information right away.

“Its okay, Will, you’re safe with me. There is no need to lie either to me… or yourself. The unordinary amount of pressure you are putting on your mind to pretend you are not who you are is unhealthy,” the blond man said softly. But his voice carried a hidden strength.

The special agent nodded, however the psychiatrist knew he wasn’t responding to his words but to the emotions he was still projecting. Still the older man knew they had been heard and were being scrutinized by the other. William was still trying to decide what to do, if he should run or stay. Should he share his thoughts, his unclear past and his unstable present with a man he didn’t know all that well but seemed to be able to actually help and center him?

Hannibal was perfectly aware of what the other man was going through, being able to actually keep a light track on the profiler's mind since the shields weren’t fully rebuilt yet. He knew that the brunette needed to reach a decision all by himself without any perceived external pressure. So, he finally let Graham’s shoulder go and walked slowly to a couch facing the one where the mongoose was and sat down, crossing his legs as if he had all the time in the world. Once comfortable he closed down their empathic link and let emotional silence surround the profiler.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter is betaed!!! I'm so happy!!!!  
> As ever, the credit goes to Leah_Ester, she is a miracle worker!!!

William felt confused at first about why was Hannibal’s stepping away from him and it hurt that he was taking away the safe blanket of his powerful calming emotions so abruptly. The profiler tried to reach out to Lecter, to touch his psyche somehow and reconnect them but he found himself effectively blocked out and he didn’t have the least clue on how to establish a safe empathic link. At this point he would even take an unsafe one, as twisted as it sound. In that moment, he wished he had the training to consciously use his powers for more than reading the last hours of people’s lives and the minds of serial killers.

It took him but a moment before he began to wonder how the blond could keep him at bay so completely and with apparently so little effort. Did he dare to hope that the man was like him? Did Doctor Lecter possess mind powers? That would certainly explain how the man seemed to know his patients so well. But, somehow he could tell that the man wasn't an empath... something different then, but what?

Very slowly the special agent raised his head and focused his dark orbs on Hannibal’s immobile figure, studying him for a while. The psychiatrist looked like a king on a throne, regal and composed and William wondered if he would ever be able to make such an impression to others. Even though the therapist was clearly keeping his distance from the profiler’s mind and forcing an unbreakable psychic silence between them he still managed to make Graham feel welcomed and protected and the young man wondered how it could be possible.

There was nothing in the blond sitting in front of him that betrayed any kind of mind power. But even if he had them, William had never encountered another one who did, mostly because he hadn’t been looking. It was a classic, and mostly childish, defense mechanism: _if I don’t see it then it isn’t there_. And now, when he truly needed to be aware of the signs that would identify such a man he didn’t know where to look or how to do it. Still, he was able to reason, the way Hannibal seemed to be able to help him, to appeal directly to the core of his mind, to the very essence of his empathy and put him at ease, to calm his wildest fears with a simple gesture… there was no way a common human being could do it. Still he doubted himself, what if he was just seeing what he wanted to see?

He wanted to trust so badly… and yet he was terribly scared. He didn’t really know Lecter, no matter how wonderful this night had been right until his damn dissociation episode. Will couldn’t help but remember that he had felt something strange about the therapist from the very moment they had met. The man was more than met the eye. Maybe it was the fact that he had special mental abilities, but what if he was wrong? What if Hannibal had a secret agenda that he didn’t want to be involved in? Suddenly, Will decided that he didn’t care all that much if the man had one. He knew deep down that if Lecter tried to hurt him he would do what he had done before, even if he couldn’t really explain how he did it. And then things could only go one of two ways. Either Hannibal would be able to defend himself, asserting his strength over the young man, or he would end up like so many before him, broken by Will’s empathy. Even as the profiler pondered this incredibly disturbing idea (because he had never thought quite so coldly about consciously destroying someone to save himself), something inside him warned Will that is was more than possible that even if he won he wouldn’t escape unscathed from the fight. There was something about the psychiatrist that didn’t scream _easy target_.

*****

Hannibal saw the other man’s eyes turn dark and was instantly on alert, even if he didn’t change his position in the least. He was far too experienced for that. It was obvious that Will had finally made some kind of decision and was contemplating the less pleasurable outcomes and the little ways he could effectively try to protect himself and his secrets. So, there was the chance that the mongoose would strike at him without even realizing he was doing it, since his mind was analyzing the most dangerous possibilities and the psychiatrist was the one who could make them all come true.

Still, the fact that William was thinking about using his powers—letting his more feral side come out and play—instead of running away from them made Hannibal proud of the younger man. The therapist could almost taste the profiler’s sweet surrender on his cultured palate, but he knew better than to betray any emotion. This was a highly volatile situation and Graham needed to take the next step all on his own without any perceived external influence.

“What’s on your mind, my dear Will?” he asked softly, knowing that his little mongoose was lost now that the proverbial floodgates had been opened and he was being forced to face the most difficult enemy: himself.

“ _You_ …” the man answered softly, almost absently. And it made Hannibal smile, such a sweet partner-to-be.

“I assure you I’m nowhere near your mind right now.”

That of course made the other look at him with wide eyes. The special agent was smart enough to catch the actual meaning behind his words and now that beautiful psyche of his was turning it’s little wheels around, going back and forth, filling in the blanks he had left from the moment they had met. He wouldn't get too far, of course. His brunette didn't have enough to make the most complex and dangerous connections just yet. But, it certainly would help him to realize that Hannibal could understand him on a level neither Alana nor Crawford could.

Lecter smiled wildly but still keep his emotional and telepathic distance, waiting for the brunette to decide where he wanted them to go from then on

*****

William felt absolutely speechless. _Hannibal was like him!_ His mind kept going over that fact. What was even more amazing was the way he had told him so matter-of-factly. As if it wasn’t a big deal! That made the green eyed man want to go over to the psychiatrist and give him a jab. A strong one!

He wanted to take Lecter by the lapels of his perfectly tailored jacket and shout at him that he’d spent half of his life trying to deny and hide what and who he was just to hear him speak of it as if was no big deal! He had hurt people to keep his secret and would have done it to him, too!

The special agent wanted to beat the blond to a pulp, until he bled and William felt avenged! He wanted to kick and punch the man until all the pain he’d felt for all these years disappeared from his mind.

Graham felt mildly shocked at his own violent thoughts; he had never wanted to cause such physical damage to anyone before. Still, he found that he had closed his hand into a fist without even realizing it!

Will didn't know how to vocalize what he needed anymore. He wanted to feel sick about his earlier frame of mind and yet he couldn't. There had to be something wrong with him! Maybe all those people that saw him as a monster in the making hadn't been so wrong...

 _Hannibal_ _. Hannibal was the one who could help him!_ He thought at last, almost desperate.

“ _Please…_ ” The profiler uttered, praying to the older man while projecting uncontrollable raw emotional energy to the other in an attempt to make the blond reach out to him.

*****

Hannibal was a taken aback by the strength of William's empathy. The man was desperately begging for his help to get himself under control once more, and yet he didn’t realize the intensity of his projection. If the target of such strong emotional turmoil had been someone else there would have been mostly unpleasant repercussions on his or her psyche which would end up in a guilt trip for the unstable young man and set him back instead of helping him to move beyond his sickly attempts to be one of the sheep.

Even if the psychiatrist had known from the beginning that the younger man didn’t have any kind of training nor had ever used his powers consciously for anything more than helping the FBI, it still infuriated him to no end that Will had been left alone and uncared for by the people who should have know better. Lecter would make sure to make space in his fridge for several law enforcement officers and a couple of therapists.

But, he would have to leave the vendetta planning for later, since right now his mongoose needed him. Slowly, like the snake he was, Hannibal let his emotions unravel and wash over the profiler, calming the desperate projection. Once the brunette got a hold of himself the older man opened a full link holding nothing back or making any attempt to conceal his less than professional emotions and feelings towards the profiler.

****

Will was incredibly relieved when the other man answered his anguished call. He knew he had probably been more forceful than he intended, yet he couldn’t think of any other way to get in touch with the man, to make him reconnect with him on that intimate level they had been sharing, even if he had been unaware of it before. The special agent never thought it would be so good, so comforting to feel all of Hannibal’s emotions. The man was so… incredible. He was a chameleon, a kaleidoscope of emotions, and he could certainly lose himself in those emotions knowing there would always be a safety line ready to take him back to reality. Inside the psychiatrist's psyche he could feel a strong man. There was a cold, calculating snake, ready to uncoil and unleash his fury against whoever invaded its home, but since Will was an invited guest the green animal surrounded him, slowly caressing his ethereal body. Eventually, the therapist enclosed him completely. The special agent could tell how distant the other felt in regard to other human beings, a loneliness that, he suspected, was very much like his own, since it was probable that Lecter’s life had been similar to Will's, having to hide and protect himself against those who didn’t shared their special treats.

On a different level he finally got the confirmation he didn’t even realize he was looking for. The arousal he had experienced earlier had been a response to the desire the other had most certainly been projecting. Still, that wasn't all that was there. The older man wanted more than just sex. He wouldn’t be satisfied with less than a complete surrender. The idea of showing his belly to the dominant man in front of him didn’t scare him as it should, he found with awe. He, who had gone through most of his adult life scared to let other people know him and give himself to them, was actually considering trusting his mind and body to the blond who was smiling at him kindly, waiting for his decision.

*****

William was being so wonderfully open! So sweet in his portrayal of Hannibal! So deliciously submissive, letting the snake in his mind curl around his ethereal body and caress it like he wanted to do to his physical one.

It was obvious the profiler wasn’t aware of how much he was allowing him to read. The other one had built strong, if unsophisticated, mental walls that were supposed to protect him from any kind of psychic attack. Still, these mechanisms were untrained and mostly instinctually created so they easily crumbled when the man relaxed even slightly. He would eventually teach his mongoose how to keep himself from invasive telepaths and other mind players in a way that was both effective and less costly for his health.

Lecter knew that the FBI agent had gotten a clear picture of the desire, the passion and the possessiveness that he had felt since the man had begun coming to his unofficial therapy session. Right at this moment, his main concern was the way Graham would answer to his invitation and what was going to be his response to his darker desires. The want to have Will under him writhing in pleasure and clawing at his back with desire while he marked the pale skin with his teeth and tongue. He made sure to send those images to the brunette’s mind, taking full advantage of their psychic link. He could read how much those thoughts concerned him not because he was against being Hannibal’s but because it didn’t distress him in the least. William was ready to give in, and the therapist decided this was a moment to savor as he had done earlier when the younger man tasted human flesh for the first time.

*****

Very slowly William stood up from the couch and walked to the psychiatrist whose eyes were darkened by his unadulterated desire. He was sure this was probably one of the most daring things he had ever done in his life and at the same time it was the only thing he was completely sure about. Graham couldn’t tell how he knew, he just did.

Hannibal smiled as he approached, but made no further gesture and the younger man knew that he would have to be the one who took the first step this time. There was no need for anyone to explain to him what it meant. The psychiatrist was giving him one last chance to back out of this.

Will licked his lips once more, wetting them. His whole body was trembling imperceptibly. He should be worried about the repercussions the stress he was experiencing with this nerve wreaking experience would have on him. Yet he knew that there would only be blissful nothingness once he closed his eyes because there would be a strong warrior at his side and inside of him.

The special agent locked eyes with the blond, and he knew exactly what he had to do to move things forward. The image was so strong in his mind, and yet it was not an order but a request. The man wanted his submission not his subservience and that meant he would always have the right to refuse, though he knew it would be scarcely used. Still, there was something in Lecter’s mind that he knew would cause a lot of fights between them. He couldn’t pinpoint what it was since he was no mind reader and he could only fathom it was something strong and shadowy in amidst all the emotions that the doctor was letting him read. At last, he decided he would worry about it when the time came.

*****

Hannibal watched closely as the man he had chosen walked to him while reading and basking in their shared thoughts and emotions. William’s mental walls were shattering, letting him roam free, but he still had to conquer the place. The brunette came to him with shaking legs, making one of the most beautiful pictures Lecter had ever seen. The therapist could see the special agent’s desire to show his belly but he was clearly scared of what that entailed since it was obvious he had never surrendered before to anyone, which meant Hannibal wouldn't have to track down and kill anyone. The blond gave the profiler a reassuring glance and let him know that he wasn’t looking for a doormat but for a partner, a strong willed companion. He didn’t want a sheep but a wolf, a beta for his alpha. The man seemed to relax at that and Hannibal knew there was only one thing left to do. Using their shared link he sent a picture of Will on his knees in front of him.

The other man looked at him for a moment, debating with himself and yet looking for his guidance with pleading eyes. However, he couldn't move or make a sound. This was—had to be—Graham’s decision. It was the only way they could build a future together. The brunette had to be very sure when it came down to it that he had made the call.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the brunette nodded almost imperceptibly and let himself sink to the floor.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here it is the last part... it actually took me a while to write it since life got in the way and then the muse refuse to cooperate. 
> 
> Leah_Ester, a most wonderful beta, helped me with this story, so I hope you enjoy the improved version.

Hannibal grinned ecstatic. The beautiful mongoose had finally stopped hiding inside the cupboard and surrendered to the snake. Now Will was his, his to feed, to train, to protect… to love. Without a warning he took the other man by the hair, entangling his long fingers in the short threads, forcing William to raise his head and make eye contact.

The moment their orbs met the young profiler lowered all of his defenses at once, letting the therapist see him: the scared child, the terrified adult. The self doubt and the darkness that threatened to consume him. The same terrifying darkness Lecter was planning on nurturing and helping to grow until it engulfed his brilliant, perfect partner.

The doctor could see the special agent’s desire to be taken care of, to be embraced and protected. He got the clearest picture of the strong lust William felt for him and that made Hannibal smile, satisfied. Right then and there he moved in for the kill, taking the brunette’s lips in a passionate kiss. It was an assertion of his dominance, a reassurance to Graham that this was actually happening.

*****

Once his knees touched the floor William knew he had made a choice that would be almost impossible to reverse, but he couldn’t find it in himself to regret it. There was no sense of impending damnation inside of his mind. If anything he felt peace; something he had been looking desperately for all of his life, from the very moment he had found out about his empathy.

Hannibal was a rock—solid and strong—and now, he was William’s. The snake in the psychiatrist’s mind would surround Will’s frail inner self and keep him centered, safe and conscious of who and what he was.

The young profiler felt his walls and defenses crumbling and disappearing but he didn’t care. The therapist had asked for his complete surrender and he was complying.

When the psychiatrist forced their gazes to meet the special agent knew he was being scanned. It was the first time William could tell the other was doing it and he was amazed at the skill Hannibal showed by being able to perform a reading without it hurting. William wondered how much of him the psychiatrist had read before, even with the mental walls he had somehow managed to place. Someday, maybe he would actually pose the question out loud. But something told him that it was doubtful he could get an honest answer.

 

 _Lecter kissed him_. The man forced his head back in order to get better access and Graham simply let him do it. The blond’s tongue demanded entrance and he opened his mouth promptly, letting the slick muscle conquer the space. Slowly, his own tongue joined in on the action, playing with the other.

Without even realizing it, his hands moved to hug the therapist’s neck.

William needed to anchor himself, to be able to tell _this_ was actually happening and the solid body was a perfect focus.

 

Hannibal smiled to himself when William got his arms around his shoulders and decided it was time to move forward. He released the man’s nape and used both of his hands to drag the pliant body upwards, until Graham was sitting on his lap. The FBI agent almost purred when he was chest to chest with the psychiatrist. The man broke the kiss to look at the professor whose eyes were dark with desire.

The brunette licked his lips as if trying to catch the last remains of the doctor's taste, and that simple, small gesture, sent a wave of desire through Hannibal’s body. The blond let his feelings wash over the profiler, who got even harder at them. Will’s physical responses were as delicious as his mental ones. It was obvious that even if his soon-to-be lover had some experience with sex—and Hannibal was planning on finding out exactly who William had been with, and feed their flesh to William’s strays— the brunette had never experienced how enhancing it could be between psychics.

*****

The young one whimpered at the emotional assault. He had never known that any psychic power could be used to entice and seduce another... 

The heat in his body mirrored the heat in his mind. He was being seduced on both the physical and the psychic planes and he loved every second of it.

Suddenly, he was looking at Hannibal’s eyes while their erections pulsated one against the other—still covered by their clothes—and he whimpered in protest. Will needed to feel more, he wanted to touch the other’s skin and discover what he could read by running his fingers over the hot surface.

The psychiatrist gave him a dark and hungry smile.

“ _Go ahead, my dear,_ ” Hannibal said, granting the other the permission he had been unconsciously waiting for.

With trembling fingers, William unknotted the doctor’s tie and then turned his attention to the expensive jacket and shirt. He wasn’t sure what he should do with the clothing pieces so he didn’t take them off the man but simple let them hang open and began touching the pale skin reverently.

The older man covered the back of William hand’s with his own. He pulled them towards his body, until Will’s palms were flat against Hannibal’s pectoral muscles, while giving the other a soft kiss on the lips.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of, my beautiful…” The man whispered in a sinful tone. “Read my feelings and let them wash over you. Let my emotions become the rope around your body tying you to me… to this moment.”

The words alone made the profiler impossibly hard, and he sobbed while his mind took all Hannibal had to offer. The blond’s desire was so strong that it threatened to send him over the edge without further stimulation, but Will managed to control himself by the thinnest thread.

 

The doctor knew he had to make their first time wonderful for his mongoose, so he decided to go a little slower than he usually would with a pet. The special agent had to be brought over carefully, so he wouldn’t even dream of going back to his old life.

Hannibal left the man’s hands alone and began to undress him, peeling away the suit and enjoying the unmistakable smell of his arousal. He let the clothes fall to the floor since they didn’t merit much care and ran a fingernail over the man’s spine making him arch his back. For a second Hannibal imagined it was a scalpel leaving the barest mark on the skin, a sweet line of red liquid for him to trace with his tongue. The way William moaned and came while still in his pants told the doctor that they would certainly explore that fetish later. He had the perfect instrument to use back at his office.

Their shared link told Hannibal that his lover was thinking of making an escape since Will wrongly assumed he was somewhat disappointed. The psychiatrist decided that he needed to stop that nonsense right away and took the man by the chin. He was surprised at finding unshed tears in the brunette’s eyes, he was ashamed of himself and scared he had ruined his only chance.

“Hush now, my dear… It’s perfectly alright…” he said while caressing William’s back soothingly and turning his head to speak the rest right in his ear. “Next time we’ll use a ring on you…” he promised while sending a compelling image of the special agent on his back in his—their—bed completely naked but for a silver cock ring around his shaft.

 

“Next… time?” William asked hopefully while the picture clearly projected by Hannibal formed in his mind, making him choke. First of all, he couldn’t believe how beautiful Hannibal thought he was! And then, depicting him in such a wanton state…! Still, he wasn’t oppose to making it happen if it would make the doctor happy and grant him another chance at having actual sex with the man.

“Unless you don’t wish the same…” the man said in that incredibly soft tone that always brought Will back to reality when he was lost inside his own mind.

“No! No… I mean… _Yes!_ I want to…” He blushed furiously at his inability to give a full, coherent answer.

“It’s okay, my dear Will,” Hannibal said giving him a passionate kiss on his lips. “Let’s take you to the shower and then put you to bed…” he said after they separated.

He was made to stand up and guided through the house to an enormous bedroom. Inside there was a private bathroom with a huge tub. The professor saw himself sinking inside it, covered by hot water while waiting for his lover to come home and make love to him.

“You are so sweet,” the man said while taking off their remaining clothes at an incredible speed. “Come now,” he whispered while directing the brunette to the stall.

Once inside the hot spray washed over them, and Will decided it was time he did something for the other man. He had come but the doctor was still hard. And even if he didn’t say a word nor project the least bother, it was obvious that he couldn’t be comfortable.

He knelt down without giving Hannibal time to scrub him as he was clearly going to do by the way he had grabbed the sponge. The man looked surprised for a second but then his eyes got heavy, laden with desire once more.

“My beautiful William,” he said roughly, while a hand took hold of the back of his head once more. But he didn’t move, just let it rest there, letting the special agent decide what he wanted to do next.

The professor took a deep breath. He had done this only once before and the experience hadn’t been one of his favorites. But he knew that most men enjoyed receiving a blowjob and he wanted to do this for the psychiatrist. Will gave the man’s shaft a tentative lick and when he felt the other’s hand tighten a little at his nape he knew everything would be alright. The brunette took the other’s hard on between his lips, slowly swallowing all of the flesh until he felt the need to let it go. And then went right back to it until he could establish a rhythm and Hannibal’s breathing became ragged.

 _This was his doing!_ He thought proudly. He was the one making the doctor lose his composure! The hand holding him put some pressure on his neck, effectively guiding him through the motions but never letting him get uncomfortable.

The pleasure that the therapist felt run through him made him aroused once more. It was like a crescendo, stronger emotions got to him, and he could tell the other man was about to come. Suddenly, while he was half lost in the man’s sensations, William realized he was tasting the man’s unique flavor on his tongue.

*****

Hannibal needed longer than usual to get under control. He had slipped a little right at the moment of his orgasm and he could only hope that Will had been as lost as he was since he was pretty sure that his mongoose wasn’t ready to know the darkest of his secrets.

There was no fear coming from his lover, not a single sign that William was in any way aware of his blood lust or his hunger for human flesh. So, the doctor relaxed and brought the man to his feet. Without a word he kissed the younger one and pushed him against the wall, turning him around until his chest was pressed against the tiles.

“You are sin incarnated… my beautiful,” he breathed hotly in the man’s ear. Then he licked the strong neck from base to right behind the lobe. “I want to devour you…” he confessed while spreading his legs apart and biting down on the inviting skin at the pulse point.

“Hannibal…” the man moaned not knowing what else to say.

“Hush… I’ll take care of you now,” he whispered. “Put your hands against the wall and keep them there,” he ordered and William moaned at being told what to do in such a tone. _He was such a perfect little pet._

It was sad he hadn’t predicted things would progress so fast or he would have made sure to have some lube inside the bathroom. As it was, he would have to wait to be inside William since he didn’t want the man’s first time to be more painful than it had to be. Still, he could do the next best thing… the therapist went down and used his hands to part the luscious cheeks in front of him.

 

The special agent howled and jumped a little the moment he felt the tongue at his entrance. Hannibal simply put one hand at the small of his back and effectively stopped all of his movements at once. Will tried to relax knowing he was safe.

A moment later, he wondered why he would ever try to run away from such an incredible feeling. The doctor was making him go crazy with pleasure. The naughty muscle was slowly slipping inside his body, thrusting as the man would do at a later time, possessing and claiming him.

“Pleasepleaseplease,” William begged loudly, not daring to touch himself or to move from his given position but wishing fervently he could.

“Please what, my dear?” Lecter asked, pausing his ministration for a brief moment.

“Let me come… _please_ , let me come…”

 

Hannibal wished he could keep the other like this for longer but his lover wasn’t ready for extended foreplay. With his free hand he took the other’s erection and began to pump it in time with his tongue.

It took barely a minute for William to come, this time moaning loudly. A second later he was taking the exhausted man in his arms and after cleaning him quickly he turned off the shower. By the time he took the brunette to the bed he was already half asleep. He made sure the man was comfortably settled under the covers before going back to the bathroom to wash his mouth and clean up.

A little while later he joined the special agent in bed. Once he did, the mongoose surprised him by getting closer and putting his head on his chest.

“Missed you…” the brunette barely managed to whisper.

The special agent had clearly been fighting to stay awake and wait for him.

“Go to sleep, William,” Hannibal said softly, caressing the still wet curls and giving William a soft kiss on his forehead. "You’re safe here."

The man was his now and not even nightmares would dare to mess with Hannibal Lecter's lover.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As ever comments are more than welcomed since it's nice to know what the readers think of one's work.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, this is my first story on this fandom so constructive criticism is always welcomed, as comments and kudos are.
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> DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters, this story however is mine


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